


Kiss the Cook

by Apetslife



Category: Popslash
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-03
Updated: 2012-02-03
Packaged: 2017-10-30 13:04:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apetslife/pseuds/Apetslife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A chance meeting in a kitchen.  Written for DWNOGA 2002.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kiss the Cook

  
It wasn't so much that he was *hiding*, despite the meaningful look he'd intercepted from Tara as he slipped through the side door. No, JC loved parties, and he certainly didn't need to hide from the mobs of nicely-dressed people milling around toasting AJ and Sarah with sparkling apple cider and virgin daiquiris. He just needed a little break, was all. And he was hungry. He'd never understand why the dinner was always so long after the actual ceremony, except maybe that they figured that people would be so ravenous by the time the food was on the tables that they'd be too busy eating to get rowdy.

The kitchen was empty, trays of finger food ready to go when they were called for. It was quiet and everything shone, rack after rack of pans and ladles and whisks and spoons hanging from racks over the huge stainless steel tables, kitchen ranges sprawling along every wall, flanked by giant refrigerators. Very professional and everything was clean. JC approved, and wondered if this place was available for CD release parties.

He browsed through the trays, careful to take only a little from each, not wanting to disturb the carefully crafted sprays of fruit and vegetables and little roll-type things. JC relaxed a little in the quiet, munching happily, not thinking about anything in particular except maybe, carrot or broccoli? and will they notice if I take just one shishkebab?

The door swinging open startled him, and he watched as Howie slid furtively inside, leaning back against it when it closed and sighing deeply. He started when he noticed JC, and his face fell.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't know someone else was already hiding out here." He reached for the door handle again.

"No, hey." If anyone was capable of being unobtrusive and quiet, it was Howie, and he'd looked like he was running from wild dogs or something. "Stay. If you want."

"Yeah?" Howie's hand hesitated on the door, and he turned big hopeful eyes to JC. "I don't want to be a pain, but AJ's mom is on the rampage."

"Oh, sure. It's fine." JC nodded as confirmation, and Howie wandered over, looking longingly at the platters of food. "Dude, help yourself. Carefully." He grinned, and Howie practically leaped at the deviled eggs.

"Dintgetbrefast," he mumbled apologetically around a mouthful, as JC decided that no, no one would notice a missing shish kebob. "Busy talking AJ down from the roof."

"I thought he was gonna faint at the alter," JC agreed. "About-to-puke green really isn't his color. You guys looked really good, though. I love your tux."

"Yeah?" Howie straightened his embroidered lapels proudly. "AJ said black, but plain black is just boring, you know? I had it made special."

"It's amazing." JC looked at the red and yellow and green flowers and vines twining up Howie's pants legs and lapels, and felt a moment of jealousy. His shirt was almost bare of decoration, sporting only a lace-up neckline and discreet daisies on the collar. "You've gotta give me the name of the guy who did it. I love it."

"Thanks." Howie beamed at him, and JC blinked. Usually around the Backstreet Boys, you noticed Nick's overpowering beauty, or AJ's electric personality, or Brian's friendly energy, or Kevin's eyebrows. With that kind of company, it wasn't surprising that Howie faded into the background a little, but that smile...Howie's whole face lit up, his eyes glowed, he just radiated happiness. And was startlingly cute.

"So." He had to distract himself. "What are you in here for?"

"Oh, AJ's mom, you know." Howie flapped his hand deprecatingly. "Now that her baby's safely hitched, she's starting on me and Nick. 'When are you gonna settle down, Howie? Why aren't you dating, Howie?'"

"Really?" JC couldn't hold in the startled laugh. "I mean. That seems. Aren't you? Never mind."

"Oh." Howie flushed pink, slowly. "Well, she's not specifying a *wife*, exactly..."

"Right, right." JC was pretty sure his own face matched Howie's, acutely aware as he was of breaking the unspoken boyband 'don't ask, don't tell' rule. "Um. Yeah. So, strange to see AJ married, huh?" And it was. Not that JC had never been to the wedding of someone he'd slept with before, but...well, actually he hadn't.

"Oh yeah." Howie reached for the carrots. "We all thought he'd be the last, you know? Wild man AJ, crazy Bone, and now he's all domesticated. It's really great though, he's so happy."

"I hear you. He looks a lot better now." JC grinned. "It's just hard to believe." He fingered the joint in his pocket, wondered if that part of his plan was dead now that Howie was here. It was so hard to tell what would bother people.

"I know it. So, what's got you hanging out with the pots and pans?" Howie's voice and face were casual, and JC shrugged.

"People, man. Just, asking about the record, asking about the group, asking about Justin, it gets a bit stressful, like, I'm totally not here to talk about that, you know? I needed food, too, and a little privacy." He held up the joint almost apologetically. "Didn't want to do this out in the open." There had been plenty of people toking on the balcony of the reception hall, but JC thought that was kind of tacky since AJ was clean now.

"Oh man." Howie's eyes lit up again. "Not to be a huge mooch or anything, but...I've got this speech to give later and I HATE speaking in public..."

"Mi herb es su herb," JC said seriously, and grinned when Howie cracked up.

"Don't speak Spanish, JC," he advised when he'd gotten his breath back. "Ever."

"Oh, like you're so much better," JC complained, digging for a lighter. "Whatever, man. Remind me not to eat all the crudit when I'm stoned, okay?" He lit the tip, burned the paper off and then inhaled luxuriously, letting the smoke parch the inside of his mouth before drawing it into his lungs.

"That's lovely," Howie sighed, after JC passed it over and he took a long hit. "Are we gonna get in trouble for smoking in here?"

"ACK." JC coughed once, and wiped his streaming eyes. "Um, no, I don't think so. There's a fan and shit, and plus we're kind of guests of honor." Still, he moved around till he was tucked between two refrigerators, hidden from sight of the door. Howie followed him obediently, handing the joint back. They smoked in companionable silence until it was gone, and JC pinched out the roach and stuck it back in his pocket. He couldn't stop smiling at Howie. Howie was little and pretty and looked soft, and he had on the best suit ever. JC loved him. JC loved everything. Especially the shishkebabs.

"Wait, you're not supposed to something," Howie warned him, leaning against his shoulder in a friendly way as JC grabbed a skewer with each hand. "You said."

"I did?" JC paused, thinking, but couldn't remember saying anything about something. "Was it important?"

"I don't think so." Howie's soft voice was even slower and more careful than usual. "I'd remember if it was. Probably. Gimme." He reached for a skewer, and JC generously let him have one, before moving on to the pigs-in-a-blanket.

"Okay. I'm just gonna...sit. Right here, until I'm less stoned." JC hauled himself up to the big shiny countertop, sitting crosslegged with a cheese tray and a veggie plate within close reach, and Howie, again, followed, settling down facing him so their knees almost touched. Howie had nice hair.

"Your hair, man. Curly. I like it." It was a little hard to talk with cheese in his mouth, but JC had to have cheese like ev-e-ry day. He giggled at the thought.

"Yours is bigger," Howie pointed out placidly, his eyes heavy-lidded and smiling.

"Hmm, probably," JC agreed, shaking his head to feel his hair bounce and settle. Howie sighed admiringly, and JC felt his face split with a smile. It was so nice to be around someone who appreciated pretty hair. "Chris keeps threatening to shave my head."

"Oh, no!" Howie looked properly horrified. "That's awful, don't let them near you when you sleep. Nick cut off my extensions one time, I didn't get over it for weeks.

"That's terrible!" JC patted Howie's knee sympathetically. "I can't...okay, I can believe he did it. The babies can be such bastards, really. I hate them."

"Me too," Howie agreed fervently. "Only does Chris really count as one of the babies?"

"Yes," JC said simply and definitely. "Oh, yes. Cheese?"

"Thank you." Howie took the cheese slice happily. "This is nice," he commented finally. "Much nicer than being out there watching AJ wish he could go screw Sarah, or listening to his mom throwing names of nice single boys at me. I think next time I'm going to have to hire a date, or something."

"I brought Tara," JC said. "Maybe if she's free next time you could. She's really good at it."

"You mean, you two aren't..." Howie made a vague gesture with one hand.

"No, man, no way," JC shook his head. "She's like, my best girlfriend. We go shopping a lot."

"Ohhhhh," Howie said. "Oh! So you're, what. Single? Um. Boyfriend?" He was looking at JC carefully, a lot more alert than just a few minutes ago.

"Nope, no girlfriend, no boyfriend. No time, lately. No time, no time, no time." JC sighed sadly. "And then next year we go back into the studio, and then there'll be even LESS time." JC didn't like thinking about it, much. He was pretty lonely, a lot of the time, these days.

"It's even harder when they're all married," Howie agreed morosely. "It's wife this and kid that and no, Howie, I have to get home tonight, the family's waiting. Sucks."

"Totally." JC patted his knee again, then left his hand there. Howie's pants were made of a very nice soft material. "But hey, you can hang with us. Lance and Chris are off-again-kinda-single, and Justin's Justin and Joey's Joey, and we all go out kind of a lot. We could adopt you."

"You'd have to adopt Nick, too," Howie warned, but he was smiling again. "I can't just ditch him with Aaron and the old married folks."

"Bring him. Justin will love it," JC assured him with vast insincerity. "We can sell tickets!"

Howie had a very cute giggle, JC thought. "Yeah. And then when we bail them out of jail after the big fight, we can have a REAL party. Nick's having a lot of fun poking at Justin in the press."

"I was wondering about that. I had no IDEA we used to spend so much time with y'all when we were in Germany!" JC was giggling too.

"You slept through it," Howie informed him, solemnity ruined by the fact that he couldn't seem to stop smiling. "It was great. A total bonding experience, man."

"Damn." JC was rubbing one of the yellow flowers on Howie's pants with his thumb. The embroidery was nubbly and rough under his touch, and the fabric was warm. "I can't believe I missed it. All that time wasted."

"Hmm, yeah," Howie said, and he wasn't smiling any more, and his hand suddenly covered JC's. Small and soft. "About that."

"About what?" JC would admit he was confused when he got lost, and right now, he wasn't entirely sure what they were talking about.

"Well, I was thinking, kind of, as much as possible right now, and you're single, right? And me too. And I was wondering if you might like to go out. Sometime. Without the bozos. For dinner?" All said in a tumbled rush, and Howie was looking down at their hands, now clasped together, instead of at JC's face.

"Oh." JC blinked at him. "Wow. Howie, I didn't-"

"You can totally say no," Howie broke in hurriedly. "I mean, I know you and AJ had a thing, and maybe that would be weird, if we were going to...or maybe you don't want to, whatever, but I thought it might be-"

"Sure," JC said, smiling. "I think that would be nice." He had a date! Joey was going to just die.

"Yeah?" Howie finally looked up, smiling shyly. "Me too. Well, obviously, since I asked and everything." He took a deep breath, and rolled his shoulders. "Good. Cool. Okay, you said yes, that's a little unexpected, but very cool. When?"

"When what?" JC was still pretty fuzzy from the pot, but he couldn't blame his inattention on that entirely. Howie had a very nice hand, and his fingers were touching JC's wrist...oh...

"When can we go out? You said you had no time, remember?"

"I did?" That seemed a very long time ago. "Oh yeah, I did. Um, well. Soon? Soon would be good, I'm kind of just in LA right now, I'm recording and stuff, but I go to Dallas sometimes and sometimes back to Orlando, you know how it is."

"Soon. Good." Howie was grinning at him. "Because I'm only in LA for another couple of weeks, I'm staying at AJ's with his dogs for the honeymoon. After that, well. We'll see."

"Tomorrow?" JC asked hopefully. Maybe it was the pot, maybe it was Howie's hand, but JC was hoping very much that he'd get to have sex soon. And since there was now an official date involved, he had a feeling that would have to come first.

"Tomorrow's good. I'll call you." JC didn't even realize what was happening at first, Howie was leaning in so slow. He just seemed to slowly get bigger and bigger, and JC blinked, and Howie looked a little worried again, and then JC realized oh! Kissing! And did some leaning of his own.

Howie's lips were soft, not chapped at all, and gentle on his, flavored slightly like smoke and apple cider, when JC's tongue ventured to taste. It was funny, kissing like this, both leaning over their crossed legs and holding hands, but it was sweet, so sweet that JC's head swam a little and his mouth opened to gasp and then Howie was REALLY kissing him. There was another tongue tangling with his, slick and sexy and good, and then hands in his hair pulling him closer, VERY good, and Howie was practically in his lap. He thought blurrily that that would be a pleasant thing, and shifted closer, feeling his knee brush something solid. Frowning a little, he pressed closer, wanting to get more access to that incredible mouth...

CRASH!

He and Howie leapt apart, shocked, and JC's sudden movement sent two more platters clattering to the ground, these holding the shishkebabs and the shrimp puffs, and Howie clapped a hand over his mouth, horrified.

"Oh fuck," JC breathed, lurching into awkward motion, scrambling down from the table and viewing the wreckage. "Oh man, Howie, we killed the finger food. AJ's gonna kill US."

"No, Sarah," Howie said, clearly just as worried about that possibility. "Damn. Um. Can we save it?" He peered over the edge of the counter, and winced. "No, probably not."

"We've gotta get out of here." JC looked around, as if there were people hiding in the cutlery drawer, waiting to pounce with accusations of ruining the appetizers. "We can blame it on the cat!"

"There's a cat?" Howie did some looking around himself, then.

"I don't know! There could have been! Come on, man, Sarah's scary!" JC held out his hand to Howie, who took it and hopped down from the table, and then didn't let go. JC felt very sneaky as they skulked back to the door, hand in hand like schoolkids, both giggling a little now. "Shhhh," he hushed Howie urgently, through his own laughter. "Shhh, we have to look very serious."

"Like we were talking about world peace," Howie nodded, shaking with mirth. "Or taxes, or...cars, or something like that."

"Yes! We were talking about cars." JC couldn't resist, he tugged Howie a little closer, and dipped his head far enough to kiss him lightly again. "Mmmm. Nice."

"Yeah." Howie smiled at him, that bright one that made him shine, and they slipped out the door.


End file.
